No. 1:Report: No structural damage to Wall’s knee; status for game vs. Heat — Washington Wizards fans can breathe a sigh of relief a little bit this morning. Star point guard John Wall left last night’s loss to the visiting Dallas after hurting his right knee in a collison with the Mavs’ Jeremy Evans. The Washington Post‘sJorge Castilloreports Wall did not suffer any structural damage to the knee but his status for tonight’s game against in Miami against the Heat (7:30 ET, NBA League Pass) is unknown:

Washington Wizards point guard John Wall exited Sunday’s 116-104 loss to the Dallas Mavericks because of a right knee injury, although he does not have any structural damage, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. His status for Washington’s meeting Monday night with the first-place Miami Heat remains uncertain.

Wall collided knees with Mavericks forward Jeremy Evans late in the fourth quarter. He gingerly exited the contest with help from teammates and without putting any weight on his right leg with 1 minutes 14 seconds left.

“I tried to take a step to go contest, and I didn’t have the strength and I just stopped,” said Wall, who said that the right knee was already bruised before the injury.

Wall said the knee was sore, but an X-ray did not reveal any structural damage and he was walking on his own after the game with a slight limp. He is traveling with the team to Miami and will be reevaluated Monday.

…

“You try and think positive,” Wizards guard Bradley Beal said. “You hate to see a guy go down for one. And two, it being John. But you know I’m positive at all times and we want him to be smart. So if he can’t go, another guy has to step up.”

The Wizards were already dealing with a depleted roster; they played Sunday with just 10 available players for the third time in eight games and will be shorthanded again Monday.

Starting center Marcin Gortat has missed the last two games because of a family matter and isn’t expected to rejoin the team Monday, while backup Nene (calf) won’t be on the trip to Miami and Alan Anderson (ankle) won’t be available. Big men Kris Humphries (ankle) and Drew Gooden III (calf) are questionable.

July 5, 2015 · 5:52 PM ET

HANG TIME NEW JERSEY — The Los Angeles Lakers finally got a free agent to say he’ll play for them. Multiple reports say the Lakers have reached an agreement with Kia Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams on a three-year deal worth $21 million. Those are the same terms that have been reported for Rodney Stuckey in Indiana.

Free agent Lou Williams has reached agreement on a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, league source tells RealGM.

The Lakers now have some semblance of a rotation. Williams will join rookie D’Angelo Russell and second-year point guard Jordan Clarkson in the backcourt. L.A. has Kobe Bryant and Nick Young on the wings and will add Roy Hibbert (via trade) and Brandon Bass (see below) to a frontcourt that includes Julius Randle, Robert Sacre and Ryan Kelly.

Even with Hibbert, it looks like defense will be a struggle. Depth is still a major issue and it will be fascinating to see if Bryant, Williams and Young (or any pairing of the two) can share the ball.

According to SportVU, the Lakers took 283 more contested jumpers than any other team last season, even with Bryant playing only 35 games. Add more Bryant plus Williams and L.A. could lap the field in that category. Among 166 players who attempted at least 300 jumpers, Bryant ranked first (69 percent), Young ranked second (68 percent) and Williams ranked 20th (46 percent) in regard to what percentage of their jumpers were contested. And Clarkson ranked 30th at 43 percent.

Raptors lose Williams, add Joseph

The Raptors have added DeMarre Carroll to give their perimeter defense (which was a big problem last season) a boost. The departures of both Greivis Vasquez (via trade to Milwaukee) and Williams made them a little thin in the backcourt, but they recouped some of their depth late Sunday…

ESPN sources say newly unrestricted free agent Cory Joseph is closing in on a deal with the Toronto Raptors

Sources: Cory Joseph and the Toronto Raptors have agreed to a 4-year year deal worth $30 million

Earlier Sunday, the Spurs withdrew their qualifying offer for Joseph, turning him from an unrestricted free agent to a restricted free agent. He’s from just outside Toronto and will likely be running point as Canada looks to qualify for the 2016 Olympics at the FIBA Americas tournament later this summer.

The Raptors also have rookies Delon Wright (the 20th pick) and Norman Powell (the 46th pick) (and maybe some minutes from Terrence Ross) behind All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. They were the fourth (and last) team to trade for Luke Ridnour last week, but could waive him before his contract becomes guaranteed on July 11.

Lin, 26, sees the Mavericks as the best opportunity to reignite his career, especially with a chance to become the starting point guard, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Lin could join a free agent class that already includes center DeAndre Jordan and guard Wes Matthews. The Mavericks have exhausted most of their salary-cap space to sign those players and have only an exception of $2.8 million available if the team doesn’t use that to sign free agent J.J. Barea.

Yahoo Sources: As Lakers work to clear cap space to sign free agents and absorb HIbbert, Nick Young is a strong candidate to be unloaded.

Jeremy Evans to Dallas

With or without Lin, the Mavs will have a pretty strong starting lineup (whenever Wes Matthews can play), but they need to fill out their bench. They started to do that by reaching an agreement with a former dunk champ.

ESPN sources say Mavs and Jeremy Evans have agreed to two-year deal at league minimum

November 26, 2013 · 1:37 AM ET

HANG TIME NEW JERSEY —Back and Forth With Bones is an email exchange between NBA.com’s John Schuhmann and NBA TV’s Brent Barry during a Monday night game. This week, they sat down (Schuhmann at home in New Jersey, Barry in the studio in Atlanta) to watch the 6-6 Chicago Bulls and the 1-14 Utah Jazz on NBA TV.

Pregame

Schuhmann: I think this game qualifies as the Saddest Matchup of the Season. The Bulls just lost Derrick Rose for the year and the Jazz are 1-14, having trailed three of their last four games by at least 28 points. But somebody has to win tonight!

And obviously, this puts more pressure on Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah to play big minutes and stay healthy. Noah’s minutes (29.3) are down below where he was two years ago (30.4) after a big increase last season (36.8), but I wonder if they go back up now that Rose is out.

Utah had two of their better offensive games upon Trey Burke‘s arrival, but they’ve actually been at their best with Diante Garrett playing point. This guy is a plus-24 for a team that’s been outscored by 67 points since he arrived.

What are you looking for tonight?

Barry: So many things going wrong for both of these teams. Both are coming off very embarrassing performances and have a number of players in the role of proving they belong to be in the rotation, if not in the NBA.

The Kanter loss for the Jazz will greatly affect their ability to score points. Burke is trying to get his legs and conditioning back after just one start. And beginning his career with a team under these circumstances is very very tough.

I guess this game boils down to the identity of the teams. The Bulls have one and Utah has yet to establish one. I look for the Bulls to respond in a way that they have in the past without Rose. Even though the makeup of this team is different, they should be able to pull this game out with the experience of their roster.

February 12, 2013 · 6:03 PM ET

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HANG TIME SOUTHWEST —Terrence Ross is thrilled to be one of six competitors and the lone rookie entrant in Saturday’s Sprite Slam Dunk contest in Houston as part of All-Star Saturday. And as the Toronto Raptors guard defies gravity, he’ll be uplifted by a number of young fans he probably never knew he had.

That’s because the 22-year-old guard out of Washington plans to dunk something far bigger than basketballs — he wants to help dunk cancer and help the children battling the despicable disease every day.

Before the Raptors play host to the Denver Nuggets tonight, Ross will announce his involvement in launching a three-part fundraising campaign in partnership with “Dunk Cancer” and its month-long initiative, “Dunk Cancer Month,” during the NBA’s All-Star Weekend.

Ross has committed to help raise money to benefit the Children’s Cancer Association and his high school back home, Jefferson High, in Portland, Ore.

“Ever since I was in about the third grade, my mom has run an out-of-home day care service,” Ross said. “So there were always kids around. One of the kids that she took care of had cancer. We were close to the family and were always around each other so it hit home for us. That’s the main reason I’ve chosen to support “Dunk Cancer” and “Dunk Cancer Month.”

Ross kicks off the first leg of the campaign on Thursday as he’ll host a 72-hour, Twitter-based online fundraiser from his @T_DotFlight31 twitter handle. Using the #dunkcancer hash tag, he will encourage Twitter users to support “Dunk Cancer Month” by purchasing “Dunk Cancer” merchandise (T-shirts, hoodies etc.) at dunkcancer.com.

During Saturday night’s slam dunk contest, Ross will donate $2,000 to “Dunk Cancer” for every round he advances in the three-round slam-dunk competition.

He’ll go up against defending dunk champ Jeremy Evans of Utah, plus Denver’s powerful Kenneth Faried — who leads all contestants with 85 dunks on the season (seventh-most in the league) — the Los Angeles’ Clippers’ high-flyer Eric Bledsoe, the Knicks’ 30-year-old James “Flight” White and Indiana’s Gerald Green, who blew out a lit candle in a cupcake perched on the back of the rim in the 2008 dunk contest.

So what does the 6-foot-6, 195-pound Ross, the youngest of the contestants, have planned?

“I’ve been planning my dunks for about a week now, testing them with teammates to see which will get really good scores,” said Ross, who noted that Raptors newcomer Rudy Gay has provided some pointers. “I’m definitely going to do something new, nothing I’ve done during the season.”

So a few surprises then?

“Possibly,” said Ross, who is averaging 6.6 ppg and 2.1 rpg in 17.3 mpg. “I think I have a fairly good chance of winning. Plus, I need to advance to build up my contribution.”

After the All-Star break, Ross, the eighth overall pick last June, will turn his attention to his old high school in Portland. As the Raptors are playing the Washington Wizards next Tuesday, Jefferson High will be taking on Benson High. Ross will donate $500 for each dunk a Jefferson player slams home, up to $2,000. The money will go to support the school’s athletic program.

“I’m just doing my part to try to help kids that are in need,” Ross said. “Partnering with ‘Dunk Cancer,’ to benefit the Children’s Cancer Association and my high school back home, allows me to lend my name to a good cause.”

February 7, 2013 · 7:54 PM ET

HANG TIME, Texas — The last time James White and Gerald Green were in a slam dunk contest together, they practically blew the roof off with a 2010 Russian Cup performance that’s become a YouTube cult classic.

White, Green and Ross will square off against the Western Conference threesome of Jeremy Evans, Eric Bledsoe and Kenneth Faried.

The Pacers’ 6-foot-8 Green won the event in 2007 at Las Vegas when he leaped over a table to dunk in the final round to beat out Dwight Howard and finished runner-up to Howard in 2008 despite a crowd-pleasing first-round dunk where he blew out the candle on a cupcake that was sitting on the back of the rim.

State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, an all-inclusive skills showcase, will take place on Feb. 16 at the Toyota Center in Houston and will be televised live by TNT at 8 p.m. ET.

Two of the league’s long-range shooters — Stephen Curry of the Warriors and Steve Novak of the Knicks — will lead opposing teams in the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest. Curry’s West teammates will be Ryan Anderson of the Hornets and Matt Bonner of the Spurs. Joining Novak on the East team will be Kyrie Irving of the Cavaliers and Paul George of the Pacers.

It’s worth noting that Novak will be returning to the Toyota Center court where he broke into the NBA with the Rockets in 2006, while the league’s top 3-point percentage shooter — Kyle Korver of the Hawks — will not take part. But Anderson has the most 3-pointers this season.

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge will have Texans Tony Parker of the Spurs and Jeremy Lin of the Rockets joining forces with Trail Blazers rookie Damian Lillard for the West against the Hawks’ Jeff Teague, the Sixers’ Jrue Holiday and the Bucks Brandon Jennings.

The Sears Shooting Stars Competition, which features NBA players, WNBA players and NBA legends, will have James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Tina Thompson, Maya Moore, Robert Horry and Sam Cassell of the West taking on an East team of Brook Lopez, Chris Bosh, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings, Dominique Wilkins and Muggsy Bogues.

As part of the new format, points earned by each conference throughout the four All-Star Skills Competitions will determine the conference that earns the title of 2013 State Farm All-Star Saturday Night champion. Dwyane Wade of the Heat will serve as the East team captain and the Clippers’ Chris Paul will lead the West.

In addition, NBA Cares and State Farm will make a joint donation of $500,000 as part of the event, with $350,000 going to the winning conference’s charities and $150,000 to the runner-up conference’s charities. All of the charities will be selected by the conference captains, the NBA, and State Farm.

In drafting players for Team Chuck and Team Shaq in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal went in opposite directions with their top picks. Shaq built his foundation on the high-scoring backcourt of Irving and Lillard, while Barkley went for big men in Anthony Davis and Faried.

February 26, 2012 · 7:52 AM ET

ORLANDO — The silence, and we’re talking crickets, in the Amway Center after several of the dunks was the first sign that All-Star Saturday night’s signature event was going to be a little off.

That “worst dunk contest ever” chatter seems a little strong, but the 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk contest certainly exposed the fact that a serious tweaking of the format, namely the rules and regulations of the competition, is in order. No offense to the league’s new slam dunk king, baby-faced, human pogo-stick Jeremy Evans of the Utah Jazz, but not even his peers around the league were satisfied with the competition or the results.

The 4 million fans that cast the deciding votes on NBA.com, Evans snagged 29 percent of them compared to Chase Budinger‘s 28 percent, were drowned out after Evans was handed the trophy by a flood of Tweets from other players around the league who didn’t agree with the results.

A small sampling of the instant, and at times brutal, reaction that reflected the mood in the building:

Roy Hibbert: Robbery!!!!

Jason Richardson: I think Paul George or Chase Budinger should of won…. Guess all [4] million votes came from Utah lol

Hassan Whiteside: u tellin me I could of won a NBA slam dunk contest in HIgh school Jump over 5’5 Kevin hart n a reserve dunk with a cam n dunk 2 balls smdh

Stephen Curry: Even though the 2 ball dunk was nice prolly the best of the night, u can’t have the WORST dunk ever and win.

Hasheem Thabeet: “@MAL___: This is what happens when you let half a million ppl that probably can’t touch the backboard vote. Jeremy Evans?!? Smh” LoL

Shane Battier: Evans had the best single dunk, but this voting process was seriously flawed. #airbudwazrobbed

There are so many elements involved in pulling it off just right, but Battier said it best, the voting process is seriously flawed. We need the on-site, human element involved. Evans admitted that his first dunk was “awful” and that if not for his splendid two-ball dunk where he jumped over the head of a sitting Gordon Hayward, who tossed the balls into the air for Evans, the trophy probably would have gone to either Budinger or George.

(For the record, my ballot would have had George edging Budinger for the top spot with Evans and Williams rounding out the field.)

February 16, 2012 · 11:51 AM ET

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — All you are going to hear about in the days ahead are the players not in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest field during All-Star Saturday night.

There’s no Blake Griffin, the reigning champ. And as usual, no LeBron James, the player everyone wants to see in the contest (for the first time).

But instead of crying about what was, what could be or what should be, we’re rocking with the guys who will be in Orlando vying for the title as the NBA’s slam dunk champ.

Kudos to Chase Budinger of the Houston Rockets, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers, Iman Shumpert of the New York Knicks (who will reportedly have some assistance from Jeremy Lin) and Derrick Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves for accepting the challenge.

We’re cool with having a fresh face win this contest for once, no offense to Nate Robinson or anything, but a little new blood on All-Star Saturday night is always a good thing.

January 25, 2012 · 5:47 PM ET

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — A healthy debate is good for the emotional and mental health of know-it-alls the likes of which you’ll find here at the hideout.

That theory extends to friends of the Hang Time Podcast as well, and is what makes Episode 66 so much fun. We’re debating all things — is Chauncey Billups still deserving of his Mr. Big Shot nickname, what’s the best way to do business in today’s NBA, Blake Griffin or Kevin Love, and who is more deserving a spot in the Slam Dunk contest, Josh McRoberts or Jeremy Evans?

You name the debate and we’re having it with special guests:

— Grantland‘s Jonah Keri made his HTP debut, complete with, as he put it, some “Chauncey-bashing, Celtics fandom & roster-building talk”. We even talked a little baseball with Keri, the author of “The Extra 2%,” and proud Montreal native who now resides in (or at least remarkably close to) the same Denver neighborhood Billups grew up in.

— Former Utah Jazz forward Matt Harpring, who tormented Georgia fans like Lang for years while starring at Georgia Tech, helped us see the light on Griffin-Love debate, and talks about what makes the Jazz so special right now — and why Evans needs to be in a dunk contest near you soon. An analyst on Jazz television broadcasts who also can be spotted on NBA TV‘s airwaves from time to time, Harpring provides an intriguing breakdown of one of the league’s surprise teams.

For all that and our reflections what’s going on in the NBA at the quarter pole …